This Korean-style dried squid recipe turns chewy dried squid strips into a savory, gently spicy side dish with gochujang, garlic, and sesame. A brief soak softens the squid before a quick toss in a glossy pan sauce; serve it warm or chilled as a banchan, or alongside drinks and rice. Families and regions vary the seasoning, so adjust the heat and sweetness to suit your table.
Ingredients
- 5 oz (140 g) dried squid strips, also called ojingeochae or dried shredded squid
- 2 cups (475 ml) warm water, for soaking
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) mayonnaise, preferably plain
- 1 tablespoon (16 g) gochujang, Korean fermented chile paste
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon (20 g) rice syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) gochugaru, Korean chile flakes, optional
- 1 garlic clove (3 g), finely grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) neutral oil, such as canola oil
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) toasted sesame seeds
- 1 scallion (15 g), thinly sliced
Instructions
- Soften the squid. Put the dried squid strips in a bowl and cover them with the warm water. Soak for 8 minutes, then drain well and gently squeeze out excess water with clean hands. The strips should bend easily but still feel springy. If they remain stiff, soak for 2 more minutes; avoid a long soak, which can wash away flavor and make the texture limp.
- Prepare the sauce. While the squid soaks, stir together the gochujang, soy sauce, rice syrup or honey, optional gochugaru, and garlic in a small bowl. Mix until the chile paste is evenly loosened. Taste a tiny amount and adjust the gochugaru if you want more heat. Keep in mind that the squid is naturally savory and the sauce will taste more concentrated once it coats the strips.
- Coat the squid lightly. Transfer the drained squid to a bowl and toss it with the mayonnaise. Separate any clumped strands as you mix. The mayonnaise should leave a thin coating rather than form a thick layer; this small amount helps the strips stay supple as they heat. Set the bowl near the stove so it is ready to add to the pan.
- Warm the sauce. Set a large skillet over low to medium-low heat and add the neutral oil. Pour in the sauce and stir for about 30 seconds, just until it smells fragrant and looks glossy. Do not let the gochujang scorch or bubble hard. If the sauce sticks or thickens before the squid is added, stir in 1 teaspoon (5 ml) water.
- Toss and cook briefly. Add the squid and turn the strips through the sauce for about 3 to 4 minutes, using tongs or a spatula to coat them evenly. Cook until the thickest pieces are steaming hot throughout and reach 145°F (63°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum temperature for fish, checked with an instant-read thermometer inserted along the thickest strip. Dried squid varies in thickness; if yours is too thin to probe reliably, choose the thickest piece and use a narrow-tip thermometer. Take the pan off the heat as soon as the squid is hot and tender-chewy, since extra cooking makes it tougher.
- Finish and serve. Stir in the sesame oil, then scatter over the sesame seeds and sliced scallion. Taste one strip once it is cool enough to eat. Add a little more honey for a sweeter finish or a few drops of soy sauce for more saltiness. Serve warm, or cool promptly for a chilled side dish.
Tips
- Check the label before soaking. Dried squid can be sold as fine shreds, broad strips, or thicker pieces, and some products are already seasoned. If your squid is very salty, rinse it briefly before soaking and use low-sodium soy sauce or reduce the soy sauce to 2 teaspoons (10 ml). If it is plain and mild, the listed amount gives a balanced savory-sweet coating.
- Use a gentle soak, not a boil. Warm water softens the strips without making them waterlogged. Hot or boiling water can make the outside overly soft while the middle stays chewy. Drain thoroughly, because excess soaking water dilutes the pan sauce and can make it slide off the squid.
- Keep the heat controlled. Gochujang and sweeteners can catch on a hot skillet. Low to medium-low heat is enough to warm the sauce and coat the squid. If the pan looks dry, loosen the sauce with a teaspoon of water rather than adding more oil. Stop cooking once the squid is hot; prolonged frying is the most common cause of tough strips.
- Make the spice and sweetness adjustable. Gochujang brands vary in heat and saltiness, so start with the measured tablespoon and taste the sauce before adding the squid. Leave out the gochugaru for a milder dish. If rice syrup is unavailable, honey works well but gives a more floral sweetness; ordinary corn syrup can also work, though it has a more neutral flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the squid as a small Korean-style side dish with steamed rice, soup, and other banchan. Its sweet-spicy glaze is flavorful, so modest portions work well beside plainer dishes such as rice, steamed vegetables, or a mild egg dish. It is also commonly enjoyed as a snack with cold drinks. For a simple presentation, pile the strips in a shallow bowl and finish with extra scallion and sesame seeds.
If you are serving it as part of a meal, pair it with rice and a crisp, lightly dressed vegetable salad to balance the chewy texture. Keep the squid separate from the rice until serving so the sauce does not make the grains sticky. For a snack spread, offer the strips with cucumber sticks or blanched greens and a small dish of plain mayonnaise. The mayonnaise is optional; it softens the chile flavor but is not needed for the recipe to work.
Variations
Milder, less sweet strips: Leave out the gochugaru and reduce the rice syrup or honey to 2 teaspoons (about 13 g). The result still has a savory chile-paste flavor, but the heat is lower and the glaze less candy-like. If your gochujang is quite spicy, mix in another teaspoon of mayonnaise after taking the pan off the heat rather than adding extra liquid to the sauce.
More sesame flavor: Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) extra toasted sesame oil at the end, not at the start. Toasted sesame oil has a strong aroma and can lose some of it with prolonged heating. A small amount of finely chopped roasted peanuts can add crunch, though that changes the dish and introduces a common allergen; mention it clearly when serving others.
Without gochujang: For a non-spicy version, replace the tablespoon of gochujang with 2 teaspoons (10 ml) soy sauce and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) rice vinegar, then add 1 teaspoon (5 g) extra honey to round out the salt and acidity. It will not have the fermented chile depth of the Korean-style sauce, but it makes a pleasant garlic-sesame coating. Taste before adding more soy sauce because dried squid can already be salty.
With vegetables: For a fuller stir-fry, cook 1 cup (70 g) thinly sliced onion or 1 cup (75 g) matchstick carrot in the neutral oil until just tender, then add the sauce and squid. The added vegetables make the dish less concentrated and add moisture, so cook them separately until their water has mostly evaporated. Keep the squid’s brief final cooking time the same to protect its texture.
Storage and Reheating
Cool cooked squid promptly and refrigerate it within 2 hours in a clean, airtight container. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The strips may firm up as they chill, and the sauce can become thicker, but the flavor remains suitable for serving cold as a banchan. Do not leave the cooked dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if the room is above 90°F (32°C).
To reheat a portion, put it in a skillet over low heat with 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 ml) water. Stir just until hot and check that leftovers reach 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS reheating temperature. Reheating in short bursts in a microwave also works; cover loosely, stir halfway through, and check the temperature in the thickest pieces. Avoid repeated heating and cooling, which can make squid rubbery. Freezing is possible in a sealed freezer-safe container for up to 2 months for best texture; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat once. For unopened dried squid, follow the package instructions and keep it stored as directed; refrigerate soaked squid and cook it promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to soak dried squid before cooking it?
For this recipe, yes. A short soak makes the strips easier to chew and helps them take on the sauce evenly. Fine, soft shreds may need only 5 or 6 minutes, while broad or thicker strips can take around 10 minutes. Check as they soak rather than relying only on the clock: they should bend without feeling waterlogged. Drain them well before they go into the skillet.
What is dried squid called in Korean?
Dried squid is often called ojingeo in Korean. The thin dried shredded strips used for a side dish are commonly called ojingeochae, and spicy stir-fried versions are often referred to as ojingeochae bokkeum. Products and family recipes differ: some use a sweeter sauce, some are mild, and some are made with broader pieces rather than fine shreds.
Can I make this recipe with whole dried squid?
Yes, but prepare it differently. Remove any hard beak or internal pieces if present, then cut the squid into narrow strips with kitchen scissors. Thick whole dried squid can need a longer soak than shredded squid, so check its flexibility every few minutes and change the soaking water if it tastes very salty. Cook in small batches so the strips contact the pan and sauce evenly, and confirm that the thickest piece reaches 145°F (63°C).
Why did my dried squid turn tough?
Squid becomes tough when it is cooked too long, and dried squid is already concentrated and chewy before it reaches the pan. Soak it only until flexible, drain it well, and cook it briefly over low to medium-low heat. The sauce should warm and cling rather than fry aggressively. If a batch is already tough, a splash of water and a short covered warm-up may soften it slightly, but it cannot fully reverse overcooking.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. You can mix the sauce and slice the scallion up to a day ahead, storing them separately in covered containers in the refrigerator. For the best texture, soak and cook the squid on the day you plan to serve it. The finished dish can also be prepared in advance and refrigerated for 3 to 4 days; serve it cold or reheat it once to 165°F (74°C). Let refrigerated portions stay chilled until serving rather than leaving the whole container out.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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